Prince William is in Paris—and pulling out a familiar body language move. The future monarch, 42, traveled to France to attend the ceremonial reopening of Notre-Dame cathedral after a devastating fire in 2019. It’s a momentous occasion, for sure, but I couldn’t help but clock the prince’s body language.
CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON/getty images
As VP of News and Entertainment Philip Mutz pointed out, during public events, the future monarch can’t stop himself from crossing his hands in front of his body. In fact, it’s a move he’s used over and over and over again. Take a look at the photo above. Prince William stands between French President and First Lady, Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron. Though he’s smiling, sure enough, his hands are folded in front of his torso.
As Mutz writes, “While it might seem like a common place to put one’s hands, from a body language perspective, it actually indicates a slight level of discomfort and a desire to stay closed off. The hands in front of the body are a kind of protective move.”
Pascal Le Segretain/getty images
In another photo from the event at the cathedral, the prince is seated with his hands folded in his lap (though I’m not sure that’s a defense mechanism so much as simply a comfortable way to sit). He was also spotted shaking hands with American First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.
THIBAULT CAMUS/getty images
Per BBC, the prince’s last official trip to Paris was in 2017, when he visited with the Princess of Wales for a two-day trip in the aftermath of the Brexit result. This current trip is a pretty major one—many world leader have flocked to the City of Light to see Notre-Dame reopen after five years of major renovations following a massive fire in April 2019.
Veronique de Viguerie/getty images
Following the fire, Macron set a five-year goal for the reconstruction. BBC reports that an estimated 2,000 masons, carpenters, restorers, roofers, foundry-workers, art experts, sculptors and engineers worked on the project.
Pascal Le Segretain/getty images
Now that it’s been restored, visitors are clamoring to get back in. The cathedral’s rector told press that tickets for the first week of masses sold out in 25 minutes.
So it seems like the prince scored one of the hottest tickets in town—even if his body language suggests he might not have been entirely at ease.
